Sandersville, MS UPDATED 9/13/07

9/13/07
WDAM is reporting the reward was upped to $60,000. The first 10k was from an anonymous doner and the rest was put up by Jones County supervisors and business owners.

9/12/07
The Hattiesville American is reporting CrimeStoppers is offering a $10,000 reward. Anyone with information should call Crimestoppers at (601) 428-7867, the Jones County Sheriff’s Office at (601) 425-3147 or Sandersville Police at (601) 649-3068.

9/10/07
WPMI NBC 15 in Mobile, AL, Pensacola, FL, and Ft Walton Beach picked up the AP story.

WTOK is reporting there may be a connection between the Sandersville Rapist and rapes in Meridian, MS Lauderdale County about an hour north. Investigators say the suspect fits the description and M.O. of a rape that happened in Meridian a couple of years ago.
"That there may possibly be, have been, an assault of this nature in either Meridian or Lauderdale County, similar to the ones we've had here," said Jones County Sheriff Larry Dykes. "Possibly being an Hispanic male also."

WLOX is carrying the AP story and The Laurel Leader Call in Laurel, MS has the story on their front page.

WTOK in Meridian and WLBT in Jackson have picked up the story. None are posting the composite sketch.

9/9/07
The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, MS picks up the AP article.

The Associated Press has picked up the article via the Biloxi Sun Herald.

Sandersville Police have stepped up patrol numbers in their town of 1,000 residents while the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation continues an investigation into an attack that sent an 81-year-old female to the hospital Thursday night.

Authorities believe they may be dealing with a serial rapist as this is the third sexual assault of an elderly woman in Jones County this year.

Workers from the state crime lab spent about 12 hours Friday collecting evidence at the victim's home on Main Street, according to the chief.

Evidence, including DNA and fingerprints, will be checked against information in national data systems, he said. "Hopefully, we can find out who is doing this."

9/8/07
The Hattiesburg American is carrying the story.

9/7/07
Serial Rapist Targets Elderly Women in Jones
WDAM Hattiesburg, MS

Jones County authorities may have a serial rapist on their hands.
An 81-year-old woman was attacked Thursday night around 11 o'clock at her home inside the Sandersville city limits. The woman is at South Central Regional Medical Center but her condition is unknown at this time.
Sheriff Larry Dykes says the attack is similar to two others this summer. An elderly woman on Highway 184 was attacked by a suspect who broke into her home in late May. And two weeks later an elderly woman on Sharon Road was attacked in her home.
Dykes says in all three instances, the women lived alone and their homes were somewhat secluded.
Authorities believe the attacker is a Hispanic male, approximately 5'6 to 5'9, with a stocky build.

• Ed Notes: Based on the success with the Lopez case of Lubbock/Midland TX media broadcasts, we've sent emails advising all television stations in Mississippi to reference the WDAM report on their newscasts until at least Monday/10th.
• 9/9/07 - asked Fox News to cover the story.

Dumas, TX 9/12//07

9/12/07

KVII is reporting they may have two serial rapists operating in the area.
DUMAS, TEXAS -- We here at ProNews 7 have received several calls from some concerned viewers about a possible serial rapist in Dumas.
They claim that over the past few days there have been a number of rapes, and they could all be connected.

The Smelly Rapist UPDATED 9/12/07

9/12/07

The USF Student Government is providing free emergency whistles to students. $1,000 is allocated to purchase about 2,000 whistles.

9/2/07

Fox 13 Tampa Bay

As many as seven rapes may be linked in and around the University of South Florida area with one victim younger than 18.

Bay News 9 released the above sketch regarding the violent attack of a girl younger than 15. She was attacked in her home at 5:30 in the morning of August 18th. Bay News 9 also release a map of the general area in which the attack occured.

Fort Smith 9/10/07

9/10/07

KFSM in Fort Smith/Fayetteville Arkansas is reporting they have a serial rapist targeting elderly women in Fort Smith. The latest victim was 92 years old. The first woman raped was on July 19th/07, aged 65, the second on Sept 7th/07, 62 years old.

The suspect is described as a " ... black man with shoulder length hair, possibly braided."

Gilroy Rapist 6/9/07

9/10/07

Gilroy California.
A 12-year-old girl who reported being raped Saturday, June 9 behind a Wren Avenue health clinic described her attacker to a San Jose sketch artist, who completed this drawing.The heavyset white man forced the girl behind Pinnacle Health Clinic, just south of First Street, and assaulted her about 7:45pm, the girl told police. The rape was interrupted by a car horn, which allowed the girl to flee to a friend's house where she called police.
The girl described the rapist as being in his early 20s, about 5 feet tall (but possibly taller), and unshaven, with acne surrounding his mouth. She said he smelled of marijuana. At the time of the rape, he wore a gray hooded sweatshirt, sunglasses and blue jeans.
The assault was the fifth sexual assault reported in Gilroy this spring, one of a series of sex crimes by strangers.
Anyone with information may call Detective Michael Beebe at 846-0350 or leave an anonymous tip at 846-0330.

The San Jose Mercury News reports A series of violent sexual attacks on young women and teens during the past two months has increased tensions and fears in Gilroy, and prompted police to increase patrols along a levee trail.
Since April, Gilroy police report that at least five people have been attacked, sometimes in broad daylight, sometimes near schools. At least two victims were able to fight off the men who tried to sexually assault them.
Police aren't sure if any of the assaults are connected.
Officers in the town of 45,718 residents have devoted hundreds of hours to the cases and to extra patrols, Sgt. Jim Gillio said.

Chandler Rapist UPDATED 9/10/07

9/10/07
EarthTimes dot Org is carrying the story.

Earth Times is "a leading website that publishes news reports and the latest information relating to the human environment and such interrelated concerns of the international community, such as economic growth, humanitarian issues, the environment, global business, automobiles and cars, education and learning, the latest in electronics, entertainment, personal and business finance plus economics worldwide at national and international levels to new games for all popular gaming platforms. Global news and information from around the world is all offered free and without subscription on health, homes, property and real estate, insurance, internet issues, kitchen, legal topics, shopping, space, sports, technology, travel, and almost anything that affects the World and our planet, Mother Earth."

9/10/07
UPI picked the story and included the opine by an LA psychiatrist -
Dr. Carole Lieberman, a Los Angeles psychiatrist who specializes in rape cases, told the newspaper (Arizona Republic) that rape is usually an impulsive crime.
"He seems to be trying to make a point," Lieberman says. "Maybe he was raped when he was neglected by his parents. He wants to identify with the aggressor, the person who attacked him, by finding victims in a similar situation."

The Arizona Republic posted a nice overview of the case and ongoing efforts.

7/11/07
Chandler, AZ Police Press Releases

Chandler, AZ police released a composite sketch of a serial rapist that's been plaguing the area since June 2006 and may be responsible for as many as 5 attacks.

In a press release dated June 11th, 2007, Chandler police described the suspect as "The suspect in the latest attack has been described as being Hispanic, in his 30’s, 5-6, muscular build, black hair with a thin moustache. This description is consistent with the other related sexual assaults. He was wearing a navy or dark blue short sleeved t-shirt and khaki colored pants at the time of the attack."

A reward of $25,000 is being offered through Silent Witness at 800-343-8477.

Lubbock, TX CLOSED

9/7/07 Suicide
KWES is reporting that Lopez was found in his cell hanging from the shower fixtures at 11:45 AM this morning.

9/7/07 Arrested
Lopez was picked up at the Economy Inn in Midland, TX last night. SWAT raided his motel room and found him locked in the bathroom.

9/6/07
Midland, TX police have issued a media alert via KWES TV. There is no new information.

KCBD News Channel 11
9/5/07

Lubbock police tell NewsChannel 11 DNA has linked, Jose Luis Lopez, 47, to four separate rapes, two in Lubbock County and two in Midland.
Lopez is 5'10", weighing about 190 lbs. Police tell us that Lopez usually wears contact lenses, though his wanted poster shows him wearing glasses. He may be driving a 1995, red Chevrolet Suburban, with Texas plates: 45F-VL3.
Police know Lopez was in Lubbock two weeks ago. That's because they served a warrant to take a DNA sample from him. Now, he's no-where to be found.
"He does actually enter victim's houses and threatens them with a knife. We do think that he is very dangerous," Lubbock Police Lieutenant Scott Hudgens said.

RapeTracker Search

Kansas State UPDATED 9/6/07

9/6/07
A new rape was reported at KU on the evening of Tue Sept 4th, 2007. According to Channel 49, the victim knew her attacker. This obviously has nothing to do with the ongoing KU Serial Rape investigation as the perpertrator is unknown to his victims. This is a knee-jerk media story that normally wouldn't even carry on the local news media and as a "dog bites man" story it should have been buried just like most of the rapes in the U.S. A little more attention from our local crime reporters, please.

9/3/07
KCTV Manhattan, KS
Police are on the hunt for a man they said raped seven college-age women near Kansas State University over the past seven years, the latest attack coming last month.
The man, they said, always wears long-sleeve shirts and dark-colored gloves and covers all but his eyes with a mask. Because of the mask, police don't have a composite sketch of the suspect and few leads to track down.
That uncertainty has ratcheted up the fear in the college community with parents pressuring law enforcement for more information and professors scheduling crime prevention presentations.

Witchita Eagle
Investigators said they believe the rapist got his start in October 2000 when he tried to rape a woman but ran off after a struggle.
His first successful attack came a year later in August 2001, but it wasn't until 2004 or 2005, after at least a fourth rape, that police determined the assaults may be related.
The attacker is described as a man 5 feet 10 inches tall, about 200 to 220 pounds and wears long-sleeve shirts, pants and boots.
Investigators said the man tended to do and say the same things during the attacks, which seems to support the theory of a single assailant, but they aren't saying what those actions are.
"Those are details that are known to him, the victims and a few of us," said Doehling. "Those are things we need to keep under our hats.... If you have information that he's a one-armed man, we'd be putting that out there. That's a pretty good clue. That's something to look for.
"But here, we're talking about methods and tactics."
The victims ranged in age from 18 to 25 and have lived within a mile or two of each other. Five were attacked between May and September, although one attack was in March and another in December.
At least five victims lived in apartments while another lived in a single-family home. Police won't say how the assailant gains entry.

Columbus, OH UPDATED 9/5/07

9/5/07

Man Sought in Three East Side Rapes

WBNS Channel 10
The suspect in the cases is described as a black man in his 20s or 30s, who is between 5 feet 8 and 6 feet 3 inches tall. Police said he weighs approximately 175 to 195 pounds. Witnesses said the man was bald and clean-shaven.
An investigation at the Bel Air Court apartment complex kicked into high gear last month when a woman was raped, and another resident caught a man peeking through a window.
The complex is located on Beverly Hills Drive near Broad Street and Interstate 270.
After the crimes were reported in August, police who patrol the area said they noticed similarities with previous crimes dating back to 2005, An reported.
According to Sgt. David Pelphrey with the Columbus police Special Victims Unit, the crime and suspect descriptions matched two other rapes that occurred in the same area.
Authorities also believe the suspect is linked to at least one burglary.

Columbus Dispatch
A serial rapist might be prowling an East Side apartment complex, police say.
Detectives say the man behind two rapes and a burglary at the Bel Air Court apartments in 2005 might have struck the complex again, after a two-year absence.
Police said a woman was raped in her apartment on July 22 in an attack that closely resembles the 2005 rapes. On Aug. 9, another tenant ran off a prowler who had been watching his wife from their back patio.

Haverhill, NH CLOSED

Man Charged with Neighborhood Sex Crimes
Eagle Tribune
8/30/07

Jose Vega was indicted yesterday by an Essex County grand jury on four counts of rape that link him to the sexual assaults of women in the Mount Washington neighborhood this past year. He was charged with 15 counts, including four counts of aggravated rape, Assistant District Attorney Jessica Connors said."The defendant was linked by way of forensic evidence, including fingerprints," Connors said. "In each instance, it is alleged that the defendant broke into the home and sexually assaulted the female residents."Connors said she could not confirm whether Vega was indicted using DNA evidence collected at crime scenes.

Vega, 34, of 254 Washington St., was arrested in July when police said he broke into a home on Hall Street and threatened to rape a woman. He fled when she started to call police.Police charged Vega with unarmed burglary and assault with intent to rape in the Hall Street incident. He pleaded not guilty in court, and his lawyer said he denies entering the house.

Police have been aggressively looking for Vega this year. In April, they released a sketch to the media of a sexual predator who was terrorizing women, sneaking into homes at night and molesting his victims, who were in bed.In one incident, a victim was in bed sleeping with her two granddaughters. The suspect entered the room and put his finger to his lips, telling her to be quiet. He harshly grabbed her and she screamed, causing the suspect to flee.Police said the man entered apartments between 1 and 5 a.m. through unlocked doors. He approached the victims and in some cases put a kitchen knife to their necks, police said.

He roughly grabbed one woman, leaving bruises, police said. The suspect also has touched the genital area of some victims, police have said.Victims told police that the suspect has a muscular build, medium to dark skin and is between 30 and 40 years old, police said. He had a Spanish accent, his breath often smells of alcohol during attacks and he usually wears a baseball cap. Victims have said he had bulging eyes.

Haverhill District Court Judge Stephen Abany asked The Eagle-Tribune not to publish photographs taken of Jose Vega, 34, of 254 Washington St., during his arraignment yesterday. Abany said police are considering whether Vega is connected to similar incidents and he doesn't want photographs in the newspaper to bias witnesses' judgment.

Baltimore, MD CLOSED

ARRESTED
Alphonso William Hill
8/31/07

Suspect in as many as 26 rapes in the North Baltimore area.

WJZ TV Baltimore
Video of Alphonso Hill was shown on CBS's 48 Hours shortly after his 2002 conviction for raping a Baltimore woman in 1983. It was this video that led Baltimore County detectives to solve six open rape cases in Towson between 1978 and 1989.
Police say the detective was discussing her cases with her husband, a Baltimore city detective.
"He remembered just a few weeks ago being at one of their in-service classes in the city's police department training division that he saw a 48 Hours CBS video that had a guy by the name of Alphonso Hill about a rape that was done back in 2000 or 2001," says Cpl. Hill.
Detectives say DNA evidence linked Hill to the six rapes. Even more importantly they believe he's committed at least 20 more.
"In my very first conversation with the police department it was, I'm sure this has happened before, this is not the only case. I was certain of that because he seemed quite confident about what he was doing," said victim Laura Neuman.
Neuman was raped by Hill in 1983 when she lived in Baltimore City. It was her case that got him that 2002 conviction that was featured in the 48 Hours segment.

Milwaukee, WI CLOSED

A Charge Naming John Doe Finds a Match After 7 Years
NY Times
9/1/07

The man charged in the serial-rape case, Rodney Washington, appeared in court this week for a judge to decide whether the case should go to trial. But after four of the victims testified, Mr. Washington waived his right to a preliminary hearing. His arraignment was scheduled for Sept. 10.
John Doe No. 5, with a DNA profile that prosecutors say matches Mr. Washington’s, was charged on March 17, 2000, with four counts of first-degree sexual assault, one count of second-degree sexual assault and three counts of robbery.
The five rapes occurred from March 1994 to January 1995.
Mr. Washington, 49, is accused of forcing the women, ages 14 to 20, into secluded areas and raping them.
Mr. Washington went to prison in Illinois in 1978 for rape and armed robbery, in 1987 for robbery and theft, and in 1990 for robbery. In October 1995, after the rapes in Wisconsin, he started serving about five years in Illinois for another robbery. In March, Mr. Washington went back to an Illinois prison for drug possession. He served about four months and was paroled in July.
While he was in prison the last time, Illinois took a DNA sample from him and entered it into the Combined DNA Index System, or Codis, said Master Sgt. Luis Gutierrez of the Illinois State Police. Law enforcement agencies across the nation participate in the databank.
In Wisconsin, a state crime laboratory expert had been running periodic searches in Codis for the owner of the DNA.
He received a hit in June, 10 days after the Illinois State Police entered Mr. Washington’s profile. Mr. Gahn amended the charges to identify John Doe No. 5 as Mr. Washington, and he was arrested in Chicago this month.

North Texas Rapist UPDATED 8/23/07

8/23/07

CBS 11
Channel 11 in DFW is reporting that Frisco police have released this composite of a rapist that has been operating across North Texas since 2005. He's wanted in 19 attacks on 20 victims, and 1 murder.

The latest attack happened in April at the Vineyards Apartment complex just off Preston Road in Frisco.The victim survived after being bound, sexually assaulted, stabbed repeatedly, and left for dead. The victim of that attack helped police compile a composite of the suspect. "She was traumatically victimized. We had to wait for her to get to the point where she was able to sit down with a forensic sketch artist and she's a very brave woman to be able to do that," said Sgt. Gerald Meadors, Frisco Police Department.

Police believe the Frisco attack is linked to a string of 19 sexual assault/home invasions that have taken place across North Texas, since May of 2005. Officials say the man has targeted apartment complexes, but often spaces out his attacks. According to authorities the suspect targets first-floor apartments. The man who attacked the Frisco woman broke in through a back window and had a sawed-off shotgun or short gun and a duffle bag, which he used to threaten the victim to give up her purse.

North Cali Rapist

Targeting Asian Women

No news updates since December 2006.

http://myspace.com/norcalrapistinfo

Excellent web site for news and information.

http://norcalrapist.info/

Another website carrying info.